This week’s parsha is parshas Nasso. It describes the incredible privilege bestowed upon Aharon HaKohen and his descendants. They were given the mitzvas asei to bless the people of Yisrael, as it is written (Bamidbar 6, 22):
"וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר, דבר אל אהרן ואל בניו לאמר, כה תברכו את בני ישראל אמור להם, יברכך ה' וישמרך, יאר ה' פניו אליך ויחונך, ישא ה' פניו אליך וישם לך שלום, ושמו את שמי על בני ישראל ואני אברכם".
And Hashem spoke to Moshe, saying: Speak to Aharon and his sons, saying, “Thus shall you bless Bnei Yisrael. Say to them, ‘May Hashem bless you and protect you. May Hashem shine His Countenance upon you and find favor with you. May Hashem lift His Countenance toward you and bring you peace.’” They will place My Name on Bnei Yisrael, and I will bless them.
We learn the reason this privilege was bestowed upon Aharon and his descendants from the text in parshas Shemini. Regarding the day of the inauguration of the Mishkan, on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, it is written (Vayikra 9, 22): "וישא אהרן את ידיו אל העם ויברכם וירד מעשות החטאת והעולה והשלמים"—Aharon raised his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he descended from having performed the olah-offering and the shelamim-offering. Rashi comments: “And blessed them” refers to Birkas Kohanim. In a similar vein, we learn in Torah Kohanim (Shemini 17): “Aharon raised his hands toward the people and blessed them”—at that same moment in time, he was awarded the priestly gifts, and he and his future generations were awarded the privilege of “raising their hands” (blessing the people) until the resurrection of the dead. We will endeavor to explain how exactly Aharon perceived the proper way of performing the mitzvah of Birkas Kohanim on the day of the inauguration of the Mishkan.
Additionally, we will analyze the formula of the priestly blessings with which the kohanim, acting as the agents of HKB”H, bless the people of Yisrael. They consist of three pesukim: "יברכך ה' וישמרך, יאר ה' פניו אליך ויחונך, ישא ה' פניו אליך וישם לך שלום". They are comprised of fifteen words and sixty letters. Undoubtedly, this structure and these numbers are significant. We will endeavor to explain their significance.
Three Priestly Blessings Are in the Merit of the Three Holy Avos
We will begin to shed some light on the subject by examining the formula instituted by our blessed sages who formulated our tefilos for the chazan to say in the repetition of the Shemoneh Esrei of Shacharis: "אלקינו ואלקי אבותינו ברכנו בברכה המשולשת בתורה"—our G-d and the G-d of our forefathers, bless us with the three-fold berachah recorded in the Torah. According to the Avudraham, this formula recalls the merit of the three Avos, which entitles us to these Berachos. They are also three-fold, because they are stated in three pesukim.
Similarly, the Ba’al HaTurim writes (Nasso): The first berachah—“yivarechicha”—is in the merit of Avraham; “ya’eir” is in the merit of Yitzchak; “yisah” is in the merit of Yaakov. Another source for this association with the Avos is found in the Midrash (B.R. 43, 8):
From where did Yisrael merit the Birkas Kohanim? Rabbi Yehudah said: From Avraham, regarding whom it is written (Bereishis 15, 5): "כה יהיה זרעך". Likewise, regarding Birkas Kohanim, it is written: "כה תברכו את בני ישראל." Rabbi Nechemiah said: From Yitzchak, for it is stated (ibid. 22, 5): "ואני והנער נלכה עד כה." Therefore, the Omnipresent said: "כה תברכו את בני ישראל". The other sages said: From Yaakov, for it is stated (Shemos 19, 3): "כה תאמר לבית יעקב", and corresponding to this passuk, it is written: "כה תברכו את בני ישראל". In other words, the Midrash associates the term "כה" used to instruct Aharon how to bless the people with the word "כה" used in relation to each of the Avos.
In the sefer “Eileh HaMitzvos,” authored by the Maharam Chagiz (78), he writes that this is the rationale for the minhag for the congregation to respond to the first passuk of Birkas Kohanim recited by the prayer-leader: "כן יהי רצון בזכות אברהם אבינו"—so shall it be His will in the merit of Avraham Avinu; after the second passuk, they respond: "כן יהי רצון בזכות יצחק אבינו"; and after the third passuk, they respond: "כן יהי רצון בזכות יעקב אבינו".
The Fifteen Words of Birkas Kohanim Correspond to the Fifteen Years that the Avos Learned Together
So far, we have learned that the three pesukim that comprise Birkas Kohanim correspond to the three holy Avos. Now, I would like to introduce the fascinating words of the holy, Gaon Chida, ztz”l, in Chomat Anach (Nasso 5) referring to what he wrote in Midbar Kedeimos (1, 1), in the name of Rabeinu Yehudah HaChassid, ztz”l. Birkas Kohanim consists of three pesukim and fifteen words commemorating the fifteen years that the three Avos lived together and sustained the worlds. During those fifteen years, they studied Torah together every day and every night for fifteen hours. This configuration also reflects the fact that a boy is initiated into the study of Talmud at the age of fifteen; there are fifteen Shir HaMa’aloss authored by David HaMelech, a”h, in Sefer Tehillim; there are fifteen praises listed in Yishtabach; there were fifteen steps in the courtyard of the Beis HaMikdash; and Yisrael were redeemed from Mitzrayim on the fifteenth of Nissan. He postulates that Yisrael are entitled to these three Berachos in the merit of three Avos who studied Torah together for fifteen years.
The Sixty Letters of Birkas Kohanim Correspond to the Sixty Masechtos Studied by the Avos
Continuing onward on this sacred journey, we will now explain another numerical aspect and curiosity of Birkas Kohanim. In addition to being comprised of three pesukim and fifteen words, they contain precisely sixty letters. We find a wonderful reason for this in the siddur of Rav Amram Gaon. He explains the rationale for reciting the pesukim of Birkas Kohanim immediately after reciting the Berachos of the Torah. Now, as we know, Torah she’b’al peh contains sixty masechtos. The Midrash Rabbah notes this by expounding on the passuk (Shir HaShirim 6, 8): "שישים המה מלכות, אלו שישים מסכתות של הלכות"—”there are sixty queens”; these are the sixty masechtos of halachos.
Hence, the sages instituted learning this mitzvah immediately after reciting the Berachos for Torah-study. They are informing us that anyone who studies the sixty masechtos of Torah she’b’al peh is deserving of the blessings of Birkas Kohanim, which contain sixty letters.
Let us now connect these three numerical parameters. 1) Birkas Kohanim is comprised of three pesukim— "יברכך", "יאר", "ישא" – corresponding to the three holy Avos. 2) They contain fifteen words corresponding to the fifteen years that the Avos coexisted and studied Torah together fifteen hours each day. 3) They are comprised of sixty letters corresponding to the sixty masechtos of Torah she’b’al peh that the three Avos studied together during those fifteen years. Without a doubt, not only did they study Torah she’b’chsav but also Torah she’b’al peh. After all, we are taught that Avraham Avinu even kept the mitzvah of “eiruv tavshilin,” which is taught in Torah she’b’al peh. Here is the pertinent passage from the Gemara (Yoma 28b): "אברהם אבינו זקן ויושב בישיבה היה, שנאמר ואברהם זקן בא בימים, יצחק אבינו זקן ויושב בישיבה היה, שנאמר ויהי כי זקן יצחק, יעקב אבינו זקן ויושב בישיבה, היה שנאמר ועיני ישראל כבדו מזוקן". Avraham Avinu was an elder sitting in a yeshivah, as it states (Bereishis 24, 1): “And Avraham was an elder, well on in years.” Yitzchak Avinu was an elder sitting in a yeshivah, as it states (ibid. 27, 1): “It was when Yitzchak became an elder.” Yaakov Avinu was an elder sitting in a yeshivah, as it states (ibid. 48, 10): “And the eyes of Yisrael were heavy from age.” [Translator’s note: The term “elder” ("זקן") in these pesukim implies “one that has acquired wisdom” ("זה קנה").]
Thus, the three structural elements of Birkas Kohanim are intimately related. There are three pesukim, fifteen words, and sixty letters. They correspond to the three holy Avos, who coexisted for fifteen years studying the sixty masechtos of Torah she’b’al peh together fifteen hours a day. Notwithstanding, what is the deeper significance of the number fifteen? Why did HKB”H, the Grand Orchestrator, arrange for the three Avos to live together and study Torah together precisely fifteen hours a day for fifteen years? Additionally, why was the mitzvah of Birkas Kohanim given to Aharon HaKohen and his descendants specifically on the day of the inauguration of the Mishkan, when he went out to bless the people of Yisrael?
